and it's $500 million of negative ads run against mitt romney or jon huntsman or michele bachmann. chris: and trashing his opponent? >> the public may not want to see it but they will get it. in the past even though they say they don't want to see it, it worked in the past. >> the very same democratic campaign running against republican extremism. chris: let me ask you, john, i think the voter doesn't want to be told you have no choice. stuck with an incumbent who's dead in the water, who's not moving the economy. by the way, you can't pick this other guy. doesn't that make voters say i'm voting for reagan. i'm voting -- >> the message it sends is stay home. >> independents often don't want the same candidate twice. they are the most moveable group. chris: really? that's the history. >> the question is as opposed to whom, right? they're 10% to 12% of the electorate that sort of holds back and says it depends -- chris: catholics. they usually wait until the last minute. >> if it's mitt romney and he seems kinds of safe, then he might be the candidate for them. chris: i think you're